The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-12-17
THE CAMPAIGN OPENED.
President Cleveland Fires the
First Gun.
His to be Successor, James G.
Blaine, Replies with
Solid Shot.


was formally opened last week, when
on Tuesday the Presidents message was
read to congress. In common par
lance this was the first gun fired in
the great battle by the Democratic
commander. Hardly had the echoes
died away, when with a promptness
little expected there comes across the
sea from that gallant, fearless we'll
train d general and leader of the Re-
publican hosts, James G.. Blaine, a
solid shot that turned the flank of the
enemy and set them quakins in their
boots.
The President in his message throws
down the gauntlet of Free Trade, and
Mr. Blaine is not slow to take it up
in defence of the poor and laboring
classes Of his country. Mr.. Blaine
was in Paris when the President S
message was first seen by him, and a
correspondent of the New York Tri-
bune interviewed him Immediately
and sent it by cable to that paper.
There is no uncertain sound in Mr..
Blaines words and we wish we had
space to give all that he said, but we
must be content with a little of it, at
least for this time. He said:
81 have been reading an abstract
from the Presidents message and have
been especially interested in the COM
ments of the London papers. These
papers all assume to declare that the
message is Free Trade manifesto,
and evidently are anticipating an en-
larged market for English fabrics in
the United States AS Il consequence of
the Presidents recommendations. Per-
haps that fact stamped the character
OF the message more clearly than any
words Of mine can"
'Gou don't mean actual free trade
without duty" queried the reporter.
No, no, replied Mr.. Blaine. Nor
doc the London papers mean that.
They simply mean that the president
recommended what is known in the
United States as revenue tariff, re-
jecting the protective feature as an
object and not even permitting pro-
lection to result as an incident to re-
venue duties"
Il don't know that | quite compre-
bend that last point" said the report
er.
Il mean" said Mr.. Blaine, "that
for the first time in the history Of the
United States the President recon-
mends retaining an internal tax in
order that the tariff NAV be forced
down even below the far revenue
standard. He recommends that
THE TAX on TOBACCO
be retained and that many millions
annually be LEVIED on a domestic
product which would far better come
from tariff on foreign fabrics
"Then you mean to imply that YOU
would favor the repeal of the tobacco
tax"
Certainly, mean just that" said
Mr. Blaine. Il should urge that it
be done at once, even before the Christ
mas holidays. 1t would in the first
place bring great relief to growers of
tobacco all oyer the country, and
would, moreover, materially lessen the
price of the article to consumers To-
bacco to millions of men is necessity.
The President calls it luxury, but it
is luxury in no other sense than tea
and coffee are luxuries. 1t is we'll to
remember that the luxury of yesterday
becomes a necessity of to-day. Watch,
if you please the number of men at
work OH the farm, in the coal mine,
on the railroad, in the iron foundry,
or in any calling and you will find %
to 100 chewing while they work.
After each meal the same proportion
seek the solace of pipe or cigar.
These men not only pay the millions
OF the tobacco tax, but pay on every
plug and every cigar an enhanced
price which the tax enables the manu-
facturer and retailer to impose. The
only excuse for such q tax is
THE ACTUAL NECESSITY
under which the government found
itself during the war and the wears
Immediately following. To retain the
tax now in order to destroy the pro-
duction which would incidentally flow
from raising the same amount of
money on foreign imports, is certainly
most extraordinary policy for our
government"
well, then, Mr.. Blaine. would YOU
advise the repeal of the whisky tax
also?"
NO, | would not. Other condi-
tons than those Of financial admins
tration are to be taken into account
with regard to whisky. There is a
moral side to it. To cheaper the price
OF whisky is to increase the consump-
ton enormously. There would be no
sense in urging the reform wrought
by high license in many states if the
national government neutralizes the
good effect by making whisky within
the reach of every one at 20 cents a
gallon. Whisky would be everywhere
distilled if the surveillance of the
government were withdrawn by the
remission of the tax, and Illicit sales
could not then be prevented even by
policy as vigorous and searching as
that with which Russia pursues the
NihiliSts. 1t would destroy high lie
ense at once in all the states. Whisky
has done vast deal of harm in the
United States. | would try and make
1t do some good. | would use the tax
to fortity our cities on the seahoard
In view of the powerful letter address
ed TO the Democratic party on the